Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.
Medical Author: Charles Davis, MD, PhD
Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Benign brain tumors are usually defined as a group of similar cells that do
not follow normal cell division and growth patterns and develop into a mass of
cells that microscopically do not have the characteristic appearance of a
cancer. Most benign brain tumors are found by CT or MRI brain scans. These
tumors usually grow slowly, do not invade surrounding tissues or spread to other
organs, and often have a border or edge that can be seen on CT scans. These
tumors rarely develop into metastatic (cancerous or spreading) tumors. Most
benign brain tumors can be removed; the benign tumors usually do not reoccur
after removal. The exact causes of benign brain tumors are not known, but
investigators have suggested that family history, radiation exposure, or
exposure to chemicals (for example, vinyl chloride, formaldehyde) may be risk
factors.
The brain is perhaps the most important organ in the
body, responsible for the unconscious autonomic activities like breathing, blood
pressure and temperature control, sensation, movement, and thought
process.
Neurons and glia are the two types of cells that make
up the brain,
Each area of the brain has a responsibility for brain
function.
A brain lesion describes an area of damaged brain. It
may be isolated or there may be numerous areas affected.
Symptoms of a brain lesion depend upon what part of
the brain is affected and may be minimal or life-threatening.
Diagnosis of brain lesions begin with a careful history and physical
examination of the affected individual. The brain may be imaged in a variety of ways including CT,
MRI and
angiography.
Treatment and prognosis of brain lesions depend upon the underlying
illness or injury, and the amount of damage sustained by the brain.
Brain anatomy
The brain is responsible for regulation the functions of the body, from the
unconscious (controlling blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate) to
the conscious acts like walking and talking. Add the intellectual processes of
thought and the brain is a busy part of the human body.
The brain has many parts. The cerebrum consists of two hemispheres which are
responsible for movement, sensation, thought, judgment, problem solving, and
emotion. The brain stem sits beneath the cerebrum and connects it to the spinal
cord. The brain stem houses the structures that are responsible for the
unconscious regulation of the body such as wakefulness, heart and lung function, hunger, temperature control, and swallowing. The cerebellum is located beneath
and behind the cerebrum and is responsible for posture, balance, and
coordination.
While the brainstem is important in maintaining body function, the cerebrum
allows body motion and most importantly, is responsible for all the things that
make humans special, like thinking and emotion. There are four lobes in each
hemisphere: frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital.
Frontal lobe is the area responsible for personality and movement. The
pre-frontal portion is perhaps the most evolved part of the brain and
specifically allows judgment, planning and organization, problem solving, and
critical thinking. This is the area that gives us the ability to feel emotion and have
empathy. Finally, this is where impulse control resides.
Parietal lobes are where sensation is processed and interpreted. Aside from
touch, pressure and pain, there is also the concept of spatial cognition, where
the brain recognizes where the body is in relationship to the area around it.
Temporal lobes are where the functions of memory, speech, and hearing are
located.
Occipital lobes are where vision is located.
Brain cells use glucose almost exclusively for their energy needs and unlike
other organs in the body, the brain cannot store glucose for future use. If
blood sugar levels fall, brain function can be immediately compromised.
The brain gets its blood supply through four major arteries, the right and
left carotids and the right and left vertebral arteries. They join together at the base
of the brain at the Circle of Willis. Smaller blood vessels then branch out to
provide oxygen and glucose rich blood to all regions of the brain.
Brain Cell Anatomy
The brain is composed of billions of cells that use chemicals and electricity
to communicate between themselves and the rest of the body. There are two major
types of cells, neurons and glial cells; there are subtypes of these cells.
Neurons
Neurons are the cells that process and transmit information in the brain.
Each cell has two connectors, the axon and dendrite. The axon of one neuron
connects with the dendrite of another at junction or synapse. Special chemicals
called neurotransmitters help transfer the electrical impulse across the synapse
so that one neuron can excite another.
Glial cells
Glial cells are located between neurons and help support their activity.
Microglial cells are part of the immune system within brain tissue helping clear
dead cells and other debris.
Astrocytes help clear neurotransmitter chemicals so
that the synapse can be ready to react to the next signal that might arrive.
Oligodendrocytes produce and maintain the myelin sheath that coats and insulates
the axon making electrical conduction more efficient.
Ependymal cells produce
CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) which is located within the ventricles of the brain
and in the subarachnoid space that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Aside
from allowing the brain to float in the skull, CSF acts as a cushion against
trauma and also helps wash away some of the metabolic waster protects that are
produced with brain function.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints, the tissue around the joints, as well as other organs in the body. Because it can affect multiple other organs of the body, rheumatoid arthritis is referred to as a systemic illness and is sometimes called rheumatoid disease.
Headaches can be divided into two categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Migraine headaches, tension headaches, and cluster headaches are considered primary headaches. Secondary headaches are caused by disease. Headache symptoms vary with the headache type. Over-the-counter pain relievers provide short-term relief for most headaches.
A brain tumor can be either benign (non cancerous) or malignant (cancerous), primary, or secondary. Causes and risk factors include age, gender, family history, and exposure to chemicals. Symptoms range from headaches, leg and feet numbness to seizures. Treatment is dependant upon the type and location of the brain tumor.
A stroke results from impaired oxygen delivery to brain cells via the bloodstream. A stroke is also referred to as a CVA, or cerebrovascular incident. Symptoms of stroke include: sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance, and/or sudden severe headache with no known cause. A TIA, or transient ischemic attack is a short-lived temporary impairment of the brain caused by loss of blood supply. Stroke is a medical emergency.
Sarcoidosis, a disease resulting from chronic inflammation, causes small lumps (granulomas) to develop in a great range of body tissues and can appear in almost any body organ. However, sarcoidosis most often starts in the lungs or lymph nodes.
Dementia is a significant loss of intellectual abilities such as memory capacity, severe enough to interfere with social or occupational functioning. There are different criteria classification schemes for dementias such as cortical, subcortical, progressive, primary, and secondary dementias. Other conditions and medication reactions can also cause dementia. Dementia is diagnosed based on a certain set of criteria. Treatment for dementia is generally focused on the symptoms of the disease.
Brain aneurysm (cerebral aneurysm) is caused by microscopic damage to artery walls, infections of the artery walls, tumors, trauma, drug abuse. Symptoms include headache, numbness of the face, dilated pupils, changes in vision, the "worst headache of your life," or a painful stiff neck. Immediate treatment for a brain aneurysm is crucial for patient survival.
Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which the person has seizures. There are two kinds of seizures, focal and generalized. There are many causes of epilepsy. Treatment of epilepsy (seizures) depends upon the cause and type of seizures experienced.
Alzheimer's disease is a common cause of dementia. Symptoms and warning signs of Alzheimer's disease include memory loss, difficulty performing familiar tasks, disorientation to time and place, misplacing things, and more. The biggest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease is increased age. Treatment for Alzheimer's is often targeted toward decreasing the symptoms and progression of the disease.
The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The intestinal complications of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis differ because of the characteristically dissimilar behaviors of the intestinal inflammation in these two diseases.
Amyloidosis is a group of diseases resulting from abnormal deposition of certain proteins (amyloids) in various bodily areas. The amyloid proteins may either be deposited in one particular area of the body (localized amyloidosis) or they may be deposited throughout the body (systemic amyloidosis). There are three types of systemic amyloidosis: primary (AL), secondary (AA), and familial (ATTR). Primary amyloidosis is not associated with any other diseases and is considered a disease entity of its own. Secondary amyloidosis occurs as a result of another illness. Familial Mediterranean Fever is a form of familial (inherited) amyloidosis. Amyloidosis treatment involves treating the underlying illness and correcting organ failure.
Cerebral palsy (CP) is an abnormality of motor function and postural tone acquired at an early age (even before birth). Cerebral palsy is generally caused by brain trauma. Types of cerebral palsy include: spastic, choreoathetoid, and hypotonic. There is no cure for cerebral palsy, and treatment is generally managing the symptoms of the condition.
Concussion is a short-lived loss of brain function that is due to head trauma. There are two types of concussion, simple and complex. Symptoms of concussion include headache, nausea, dizziness, dazed feeling, irritability, visual symptoms. Physical signs include poor concentration, emotional changes, slurred speech, and personality changes. Concussion is diagnosed with physical examination and testing. Treatment for concussion in general are treatment for control of the symptoms, and time.
Cancers that form from brain tissue are called primary brain tumors. Brain tumors may be malignant (brain cancer) or benign. Certain risk factors, such as working in an oil refinery, as a chemist, or embalmer, increase the likelihood of developing brain cancer. Symptoms include headaches, weakness, seizures, difficulty walking, blurry vision, nausea and vomiting, and changes in speech, memory, or personality. Treatment may involve surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.
When a portion of the brain loses blood supply, through a blood clot or embolus, a transient ischemic attack (TIA, mini-stroke) may occur. If the symptoms do not resolve, a stroke most likely has occurred. Symptoms of TIA include: confusion, weakness, lethargy, and loss of function to one side of the body. Risk factors for TIA include vascular disease, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Treatment depends upon the severity of the TIA, and whether it resolves.
Encephalitis is a brain inflammation that causes sudden fever, vomiting, headache, light sensitivity, stiff neck and back, drowsiness, and irritability. Meningitis is an infection that causes inflammation of the meninges that surround the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms of meningitis include high fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and stiff neck.
A brain hemorrhage is a type of stroke caused when an artery bursts in the brain, causing localized bleeding in the surrounding tissue. Causes of brain hemorrhage include aneurysm, liver disease, brain tumor, head trauma, high blood pressure, and blood vessel abnormalities. Symptoms include sudden severe headache, nausea, vomiting, loss of balance, tingling, numbness, vision changes, loss of consciousness, and loss of fine motor skills. Treatment depends upon the cause, location, and size of the brain hemorrhage.
In the United States, head injuries are one of the most common causes of death and disability. Head injuries due to bleeding are generally classified by the location of the blood within the scull, these include: epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma, subarachnoid bleed, intracranial bleed, sheer injury, edema, and skull fracture. Some common symptoms of a head injury include: vomiting, bleeding from the ear, speech difficulties, paralysis, difficulty swallowing, and body numbness. Treatment of a head injury depends on the type and severity of the injury.
Adult brain tumors are diseases in which cancer (malignant) cells begin to grow in the tissues of the brain. The brain controls memory and learning, senses (hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch), and emotion. It also controls other parts of the body, including muscles, organs, and blood vessels. Tumors that start in the brain are called primary brain tumors.
Caring for a loved one or patient with Alzheimer's can become a difficult and overwhelming task at times. This guide helps caregivers of individual's with Alzheimer's deal with communicating, bathing, and dressing; as well as problem solving with incontinence, sleeping, wandering; and coping with difficulties Alzheimer's patients present.
Stroke is the third leading killer in the United States. Some of the warning signs of stroke include sudden confusion, trouble seeing with one or both eyes, dizziness, loss of balance, and more. Stroke prevention and reatable risk factors for stroke include lowering high blood pressure, quit smoking, heart disease, diabetes control and prevention.
*Adult brain tumor facts Medically Edited by:
Charles P. Davis, MD, PhD
The brain is a soft mass of tissue that has three major parts, the
cerebrum, cerebellum and the brain stem, all of which are effectively surrounded
and protected by the bones of the skull; the brain is the tissue that controls
people's voluntary and involuntary actions.
Cancer is the unregulated growth of abnormal cells in the body (cancer
cells are also termed malignant cells).
Malignant brain tumors contain cancer cells; benign brain tumors do not
contain cancer cells but do contain abnormally replicating cells that do not
metastasize (spread to other organs) but may still cause problems, often because
of their size and are regulated to grow in a specific area.
Primary brain tumors are composed of abnormal types of brain cells with
unregulated growth; the most common type is termed gliomas that arise from br...